Hôtel de Beauvais, 5 faits restés dans l’histoire

Located in the Marais district, on the pretty Rue François Miron, the Hôtel de Beauvais is a masterpiece of 17th-century architecture. Listed as a historic monument, it has been home to the Paris Administrative Court of Appeal since 2004. Although this public building is not normally open to visitors, you can admire its inner courtyard and facades if you ask the guards at the entrance nicely. It is also worth noting that the interior of the Hôtel de Beauvais is usually open to the public during Heritage Days.

In 1654, Monsieur and Madame de Beauvais acquired the property belonging to the wife of Nicolas Fiquet, then Superintendent of Finances (an administrative officer responsible for authorizing government expenditure). In 1656, it was transformed into a magnificent mansion, with the work entrusted to Antoine Le Pautre, the king's chief architect.

Madame de Beauvais, née Catherine Bellier, was a favorite of the queen. As Anne of Austria's first lady-in-waiting, the Baroness de Beauvais was one of her most loyal confidantes. It was she who, at the Queen's request, deflowered the young King Louis XIV, who was only 16 years old... Such a favor was well worth the rewards! It was from its balcony that the Queen Mother, Mazarin, and Turenne watched Louis XIV and his young wife Marie-Thérèse enter Paris in 1660.

AN ARCHITECTURAL MARVEL - After admiring the Grand Style façade of the Hôtel de Beauvais from the street, step into the inner courtyard, a true architectural masterpiece. You will see ram's heads on the façade, recalling the maiden name of the Baroness de Beauvais, Catherine Bellier. The shape of the hotel is also original. Built on an irregularly shaped plot of land, architect Le Pautre played with the asymmetry of the plot and built undulating concave facades. A wonderfully successful puzzle! The lobby, decorated with columns and bas-reliefs carved in stone, is also one of the building's remarkable features.

Later, the Bavarian ambassador, who had acquired the mansion, hosted the Mozart family there in 1763. The irregular shape of the land required an original layout, particularly for the semi-oval courtyard. The five doors with mascarons, small decorative masks, correspond to the former stables. The staircase with its wrought iron banister is also remarkable. However, nothing remains of the luxurious 18th-century interior decoration. For several years now, the mansion has housed the Paris Administrative Appeal Court.

Hôtel de Beauvais, 68 rue François Miron

The Saint-Gervais district has retained the layout of its medieval streets: Rue François-Miron, Rue des Barres, etc.